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In the context of what usually gets played on the radio and goes on to become a hit, Bobby McFerrin's 1988 smash, "Don't Worry Be Happy" is definitely an anomaly, even, dare we use the word, a "novelty." After all, it's one singer, performing all the parts a cappella, on a lilting, vaguely Caribbean-sounding song with an uplifting message as simple as its title. Yet something about that song captured the imagination of millions of people around the world: Maybe it was its relaxed optimism and the fact that you practically had to sing along with it, whether you took the lead vocal, the falsetto backups, the cool bass part or just attempted the infectious whistle. The song shot to Number One on the Billboard singles chart for two weeks - September 24 and October 1, 1988 - and earned Grammys for Song of the Year, Record of the Year and Best Pop Vocal Performance.
For McFerrin, there was nothing particularly unusual about the song or the recording. It was one of several he wrote for his Elektra album Simple Pleasures, on which he also covered a handful of rock classics - all constructed from multiple a cappella overdubs - including "Sunshine of Your Love," "Good Lovin'" and "Drive My Car." By this point,...